Dell’s XPS 13 finally has multiple CPU options. Previously it only came with Intel processors, now it comes with both Intel’s Core Ultra 2 “Lunar Lake” chips and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite. The race for the best ultrabook is on.
We’ve tested the Snapdragon version before, and while Dell’s design was controversial as always, its combination of performance and performance is hard to argue with. That gives us high hopes for the Lunar Lake model.
To push the XPS to its limits, we ran our Cinebench 2024 stress test, which repeats the intense benchmark ten times. The system started in the high 500s, slowly settled in the high 470s, and stayed there. The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V’s P cores ran at an average of 2.5 GHz, while the E cores ran at a higher 2.83 GHz (matching the pattern we saw on the Asus Zenbook S14 with Lunar Lake). The CPU package measured 73.33 degrees Celsius during testing. Keyboard and trackpad on the Dell XPS 13 (9350)
As long as Dell sticks with this XPS design, the keyboard and trackpad will continue to be controversial.
I have no problem with the “zero grid” keyboard. While it looks different than most keyboards on the market, the 1mm of key travel feels deeper than expected. On MonkeyType, it took me a little extra time to get used to it, but even on my slowest setting, I was able to type at 99 words per minute.
life
Intel’s big promise with its Core Ultra Series 2 (“Lunar Lake”) chips is to make x86 more efficient than ever before. But with the new XPS 13, that’s also going to depend a lot on what kind of screen you get. Dell sent us a second device with identical specs, except for the 2880 x 1800 OLED panel. It showed a surprising difference in battery life. The latest Dell XPS 13 is more about efficiency than performance. If you buy the version with the 1920 x 1200 screen and forgo the OLED, you’ll get nearly 17 and a half hours of Dell XPS 13 (9350)Laptop Battery
life. Not bad.
But there’s actually another XPS 13, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite version, that lasted longer and performed better in our testing. Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 chips offer x86 compatibility. For those who do most of their work in a web browser, the Snapdragon-powered XPS 13 (9345) might be a better choice, and as of this writing, it’s $200 cheaper.
However, if you’re concerned about software compatibility. That leaves x86 as the only option. That being said, other Lunar Lake laptops, like the Asus Zenbook S14, offer more traditional designs, including more accessible headphone jacks and standard function keys. It’s great to see Dell offering a variety of processors in its flagship laptop. It’s time to make it available to more people.
The Intel version offers more app compatibility and longer battery life, but it doesn’t perform as well as the Qualcomm version. If you want a Dell XPS 13 with an x86 processor, the XPS 13 (9350) is the way to go. But if you’re not worried about app compatibility, the Intel version will be challenged by Dell’s embrace of Qualcomm.
Dell XPS 13 (9350) Design
How have I not seen this movie?
While Dell first introduced this chassis in 2022, the XPS 13 Plus (which, in the world of laptop design, isn’t that long ago), I feel like I’ve seen it plenty of times before, as Dell has released multiple versions from both chip companies. The XPS 13
All aluminum, with clean lines, the lid (at least on our model) and deck are all black. Open it up, and you’ll find the most controversial laptop design choice in Dell’s lineup: a row of capacitive trackpads above the keyboard with no spaces between the keys (Dell calls it a “zero grid”).
There’s also a haptic trackpad, but you can’t see it. There’s no bezel, so the wrist rest looks very clean.
Dell’s minimalist aesthetic also shows in the severe lack of ports. There’s a Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port on each side of the laptop. That’s it. No headphone jack, no SD card slot. Nothing. These are for people who buy the XPS 14 and 16, because apparently listening to music is a professional thing. On our file-transfer test, the XPS 13 (9350) was the fastest of the bunch, copying a 25GB file at 1,533.85 MBps. That beats the Snapdragon-based XPS 13 (9345)’s 1,342.05 MBps and other competitors.
On Handbrake, the XPS 13 showed off Lunar Lake’s weakness in multi-core performance. It took the system 8 minutes and 35 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p, just ahead of the Zenbook’s 8 minutes and 28 seconds. The Snapdragon-based Dell XPS 13 (9345) beat the competition in 4 minutes and 47 seconds.
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